Solar cells generate electricity using the photovoltaic effect of a pn junction which converts photons of sunlight into electricity. In the solar cell, front and rear electrodes are formed on upper and lower surfaces of a semiconductor wafer or substrate with the p-n junctions, respectively. Then, the photovoltaic effect at the p-n junction is induced by sunlight entering the semiconductor wafer and electrons generated by the photovoltaic effect at the p-n junction provide electric current to the outside through the electrodes. The electrodes of the solar cell are formed on the wafer by applying, patterning, and baking an electrode composition.
Further, with increasing use of wafers having various surface resistances, a temperature range for baking is widened and thus there is an increasing need for electrode pastes capable of securing thermal stability in a wide sintering temperature range.
The inventors of the present invention developed a composition for solar cell electrodes capable of securing p-n junction stability while improving solar cell efficiency by minimizing adverse influence on the p-n junction given varying surface resistances.